Genesis 37:12-28 (NRSV)
Now his brothers went to pasture their father’s flock near Shechem. And Israel said to Joseph, “Are not your brothers pasturing the flock at Shechem? Come, I will send you to them.” He answered, “Here I am.” So he said to him, “Go now, see if it is well with your brothers and with the flock; and bring word back to me.” So he sent him from the valley of Hebron.
He came to Shechem, and a man found him wandering in the fields; the man asked him, “What are you seeking?” “I am seeking my brothers,” he said; “tell me, please, where they are pasturing the flock.” The man said, “They have gone away, for I heard them say, ‘Let us go to Dothan.’” So Joseph went after his brothers, and found them at Dothan. They saw him from a distance, and before he came near to them, they conspired to kill him. They said to one another, “Here comes this dreamer. Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits; then we shall say that a wild animal has devoured him, and we shall see what will become of his dreams.” But when Reuben heard it, he delivered him out of their hands, saying, “Let us not take his life.” Reuben said to them, “Shed no blood; throw him into this pit here in the wilderness, but lay no hand on him”—that he might rescue him out of their hand and restore him to his father. So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe, the long robe with sleeves that he wore; and they took him and threw him into a pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it.
Then they sat down to eat; and looking up they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, with their camels carrying gum, balm, and resin, on their way to carry it down to Egypt. Then Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and not lay our hands on him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.” And his brothers agreed. When some Midianite traders passed by, they drew Joseph up, lifting him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver. And they took Joseph to Egypt.
Joseph goes to find his brothers and ends up lost in
a most tragic and real way. Yet through
that being lost, God will find a way for Joseph not only to be found again, but
also for his brothers to be found as well.
How well do you know the story of Joseph and his
brothers? Maybe you’ve seen “Joseph and
the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” and know Joseph’s story from there. What do
you remember from Joseph’s story?
At the end of this passage, Joseph is sold into
slavery in Egypt. Egypt was the
strongest empire of the age. While we were in Boston, we went to the Museum of Fine Arts to do a scavenger hunt and got to see some treasures from
Egypt. Why do you think God had Joseph
“find” himself in Egypt? What made Egypt so powerful? Who would be Egypt today?
Sometimes we have to find ourselves away from the comforts of home. God is always a god of movement - sending us out. Moving us into the world. This was true for Joseph and was true for us as well. Going to Boston gave us a chance to move beyond ourselves. To serve in a place that wasn't familiar or comfortable.
In what ways is God calling you out into the world to serve? Beyond the walls of church and home? Is there a place - perhaps out of the ordinary - where you might find yourself by losing yourself in service to others?
God of the world, remind us that you are always moving us. Always sending us. Help us from our comfort zones to reach out to those who we might not otherwise see. Amen
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